Jen Keane

Jen Keane

@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Jen Keane - she/her. Thoughts about migraine, cakes, sewing, and occasional spicy political rants. https://jenniferkeane.ie for long-form thoughts. https://paygap.ie/ for my Irish Gender Pay Gap data portal https://ko-fi.com/zenbuffy to support my work

1.4K followers526 following2.8K posts

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Spent a good chunk of my bank holiday painting faces at a halloween event we organised in our local IPAS centre. The first spiderman I painted, upon seeing himself in the mirror, scooted off his chair immediately to give me a massive hug. Worth its absolute weight in gold that hug was.

Jen Keane reposted

Elaine Crory
@elainecrory.bsky.social

This is becoming a common pattern worldwide and if you're wondering it's because facism and patriarchy are twins.

Jo Wolff@jowolff.bsky.social

Incredible gender difference in voting intention in Brazil.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Someone call CMAT, we once again need her assistance.

The Journal@thejournal.ie

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that Ryan Tubridy would be 'very welcome' to enter the world of politics, after the former Late Late Show host joked that every night he goes to bed "dreaming some day" he will reclaim his grandfather's seat in Galway West. www.thejournal.ie/ryan-tubridy...

jrnl.ieTaoiseach says Ryan Tubridy 'welcome' to try politics after broadcaster said he ‘dreams’ of itThe former Late Late Show host joked that every night he goes to bed “dreaming some day” he will reclaim his grandfather’s seat in Galway West.
Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

This is a huge loss, their mezze meal is one of my absolute favourites. A ton of little plates of everything gorgeous. And yes, absolutely cracking hummus. I will miss this restaurant.

Duncan Jones (aka Merrion) (he/him)@duncanjonesmerrion.bsky.social

"The Cedar Tree", one of the best restaurants in Dublin (Lebanese, family run, over 40 years trading) is closing on Monday night due to rent increase. #dublin folk, if you have not been, treat yourself to the best hummus in Dublin....

Jen Keane reposted

Elaine Burke
@elaineburke.bsky.social

My mother and sister both have careers I would describe as requiring professional-grade empathy. I consider them both experts at it. Many times, I’ve seen them educate people on the importance of respecting the bodily autonomy of children, most often via the advice: do not force them to hug.

Jen Keane reposted

Elaine Burke
@elaineburke.bsky.social

Replying to @elaineburke.bsky.social

This government, who moved with rapidity to remove this campaign from circulation, targeting a charity with attacks on their credibility, responded earlier this year to the mass production of non-consensual sexual imagery on X with little more than a shrug.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Spoiler alert: Friends she has turbo ADHD.

Jen Keane@zenbuffy.bsky.social

If you're running late to your ADHD appointment because you got stuck, even though you were actually awake early enough, do they just ring you and say "you're grand, diagnosis confirmed"?

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Sorry, I've just seen the DRCC consent ad and am I to understand that people are fully losing their minds in our actual Dáil because they suggested you should ask about a hug? We had driving PSAs that traumatised us but we're too sensitive, and all of y'all are losing your mind over a HUG?!

View full thread
Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Some people are really out here exposing that they think of children and grandchildren as things that they own, who must always obey til they reach adulthood I guess. What a cool and healthy attitude to have towards actual human beings.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

And you know what else? I've never forced my friends' kids to give me hugs, and that means that when they choose to snuggle up to me while we're reading a book, when they climb into my lap, when they want a hug, it's for real. And that's better than any forced duty hug.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Sorry, I've just seen the DRCC consent ad and am I to understand that people are fully losing their minds in our actual Dáil because they suggested you should ask about a hug? We had driving PSAs that traumatised us but we're too sensitive, and all of y'all are losing your mind over a HUG?!

View full thread
Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Because unfortunately, most children who are abused will be abused by a relative, and not a stranger. And everyone objecting to this DRCC ad have basically said that grandparents' potentially hurt feelings are more important than a child understanding that no means no.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Forcing hugs teaches children that their no actually doesn't mean no, and it means sometimes they don't get to choose, or that some people can override their no. That some people's feelings are more important than their no. It should be obvious why this is a god awful lesson to teach children.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Sorry, I've just seen the DRCC consent ad and am I to understand that people are fully losing their minds in our actual Dáil because they suggested you should ask about a hug? We had driving PSAs that traumatised us but we're too sensitive, and all of y'all are losing your mind over a HUG?!

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

I'll tell you what, it is a bold move to be coming out swinging against bodily autonomy for children in this the year of our lord 2026.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

I've slept and I still can't get over this. People complained when college students were given consent classes, saying it wasn't needed. It might not have been needed if we were doing more to teach consent *throughout* a child's life. It is critically important that children understand consent.

Jen Keane reposted

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

I told the Irish Independent I’d eat my hat if 6,000 companies publish their gender pay gap reports by the end of November. I believe my hat is safe, but you can come see if I need a knife and fork at the CloseTheGap launch: Mon 16 Nov, 6pm, Royal Irish Academy www.eventbrite.ie/e/closethega...

eventbrite.ieCloseTheGap LaunchJoin us for the launch of CloseTheGap and our report on the state of pay in Ireland, five years into pay gap reporting.
Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

If you're running late to your ADHD appointment because you got stuck, even though you were actually awake early enough, do they just ring you and say "you're grand, diagnosis confirmed"?

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

For bake off tonight, I made white chocolate and raspberry bread and butter pudding, with brioche bread. I actually thought they were doing classic flavours and just didn't want to do that, so I'm delighted to be accidentally more accurate than expected. #gbbo

View full thread
Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

The story of gender pay gap reporting in Ireland is really a story of the department doing the absolute least, at the absolute last minute possible.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Last year, the government said they needed legislation to compel employers to report into their portal directly. That means we have had a year to get a few lines of legislation through, and instead, we are rushing it through at the last minute and hoping it's not delayed...

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Sometimes I just sit back and think about how mad it is that a few years ago, I decided to do a little data project and maybe a website, and now I'm spending my free time doing radio interviews about it and having events.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Friends I fear that I have only just remembered, upon entering the green room, that rte radio does also be on the TV. Meaning people will see my head. Yikes

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

I'm going to take some deep breaths and speak very calmly about the fact that someone just "well actually'd" me about that Indo article. They wanted me to know that companies have actually been reporting on their own sites actually.

View full thread
Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Why do people love to approach me as if it is both my first day on earth as a woman, and my first day caring about gender equality and the gender pay gap? They quite literally called me an expert in the headline. I don't even call me an expert, but the paper did.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

At this stage, it is impossible not to wonder if I would receive the same default immediate pushback if I were male. (I would not, I would receive a parade for being such a marvellous progressive ally).

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

I'm going to take some deep breaths and speak very calmly about the fact that someone just "well actually'd" me about that Indo article. They wanted me to know that companies have actually been reporting on their own sites actually.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

So just because they haven't bothered to register on the government portal yet, doesn't mean they haven't been reporting. Sir. SIR. What about my profile gives you the impression that I don't know that companies are reporting on their own sites?

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

Why do people love to go straight to correcting me about something that I have put quite literally thousands of hours into over the course of several years? Why do people think that when they raise the most basic point about pay gap reporting, that it will rock my world as a brand new thought?

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

I have met so many Tommys in my life. They love to confront you with the most lukewarm take, the most basic question, and then stand there as if they strode directly from Mensa with an understanding that only they and their big brain could possibly have, expecting you to be bamboozled.

Abdul El-Sayed@abdulelsayed.bsky.social

This is Tommy. Tommy had a question about my allegiances. Listen to the end to hear about his.

Jen Keane
@zenbuffy.bsky.social

The thing about bot accounts that pretend to be human is that sometimes you will share sad news, and they'll say "Nice work".... Jesus Christ.