International Women’s Day 2026 is on Sunday 8th March 2026. The theme for this year is ‘Give to Gain’. This also marks the two-year performance anniversary of LGBTQ+ Award-winning published poet Melissa M Poulton. She will be performing on the day in Birmingham at the Birmingham Mind event Mic Drop at the Brig Café at the Warehouse in Digbeth. As someone who suffered with mental health problems, Mind is a great charity to support. Something that Melissa has given back to on many occasions.
Melissa was doing a writing for wellbeing course with the Word Association and Out2gether in March 2024. The first session was on International Women’s Day 2024. Melissa wrote a poem called Today and performed it to a group of people on Zoom. That was the first time that Melissa read a poem to anyone. Since then, she has performed at over 450 events across Worcester, Birmingham and the Black Country and the rest of the world online. She has performed at many Pride Events in that time and published in many different poetry anthologies. As part of Black History Month in Worcester, Melissa won the first ever Benjamin Zephaniah Trophy across Worcestershire for her poem ‘Could you walk a mile in our shoes?’ Something she is very proud about.
Melissa is the founder of Queer Voices, a monthly in person and online spoken word open mic in Worcester and the wider West Midlands, Melissa gives back to the LGBTQ+ community every single day. With brands like Queer Showcase where people can showcase their talent safely and This is Queer, a retail boutique that support queer independent businesses.
This year, we are launching our first poetry competition and anthology on the theme of “PRIDE”. Queer Showcase is hosting a comedy in Birmingham to mark one year of the company. It will be co-hosting its first ever Queer fashion show in September for second hand September. However, before all that Queer Showcase will be putting on a queer art exhibition at Boston Tea Party in Worcester City Centre on the Friday 5th June as part of Pride Month. We are looking for queer artist to showcase their talent.
For more information check out social media @queer_voices, @queershowcase or @inqueercompanyltd or email info@queervoices.co.uk for more details.
About Melissa M Poulton
Melissa is an award-winning published poet, published photographer and published artist. She is a speaker for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual plus (LGBTQIA+) rights. Melissa supports human rights for all. Melissa is an active member of the poetry community in West Midlands UK. Melissa writes gritty, emotional, poetry and passionately speaks about her journey, her mental health and her love for women.
Melissa is the founder of Queer Voices, Queer Showcase and In Queer Company Ltd.
Follow her at @melissampoulton.bsky.social on Bluesky and @melissampoultonwriter on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram
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For press enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Melissa Poulton
Founder of Write Queer Publishing
Email: melissampoulton@gmail.com
