Ryan began by asking the girls about their childhood. "We were always raised in an open environment" Jamie said, "very caring and loving. We had a very good childhood."
Throughout their childhood they experimented with gender. It wasn't until a little older could either Jamie or Chloe put a term on how they felt. "I came out as bi-sexual at the age of 14" Jamie told Ryan. "I wasn't sure about gender, it more about sexuality...and then I came out as gay. I just knew I was attracted to men."
"We grew up dressing up, putting on skirts and dresses...that was a major play time thing that we did. When you go into secondary school, it's kind of like a secret you keep because you don't want to be mocked or bullied because of it. I really missed that from my childhood."
At 15 Jamie dressed up in drag and performed in bars around gay bars Cork, something she described as "amazing feeling that I didn't want to end".
But at that age, school was a major element in their life. Ryan asked was this period difficult?
"I was bullied for being gay" Jamie said. "But it didn't last too long because I stood up for myself...I didn't let people bully me, I had enough of that. I'm not going to be a victim."
Chloe is the shyer of the two, and a self-confessed introvert. While Jamie's outlet was in performing, Ryan asked how Chloe dealt with being transgender in her own way.
" I kept to my friends. It was only when I started pushing the boundaries last year with hair and makeup that I realised I was comfortable presenting as a woman. I came out as gender fluid...I realised when people mistakened me for a girl I liked it. So I knew I just wanted to be a woman."
Listen to sisters Chloe And Jamie O'Herlihy's interview with The Ryan Tubridy Show here:
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Jamie made a social media video to explain to her friends what was happening. "I made a short video that got more attention than I thought it would. It got something like 17, 18 thousand views. I just thought 'oh my gosh'. It was intimidating at the start, but now it's liberating."
While Chloe admitted she's always kept away from the limelight, she agreed with Jamie that they need to raise awareness of the issues through their story.
Jamie has said that public reaction has been "mostly supportive".
There has been there fair share of negative comments...but we look to the positive side of people. People of any age who are transgender message us asking how we came out so publicly, and how they look up to us."
Ryan began reading out some listener questions and comments, one saying "Listening to Chloe and Jamie about the comments from people, please remember it's confusing for others and many don't mean to be hurtful".
"Even my Mom misgenders me sometimes" Jamie agreed. "She's so use to using 'he' after Jamie. I don't get angry. It's more about educating people, using the right terminology. What we feel comfortable with."
"We get angry when people are calling us freaks. Or 'These fellas are presenting'. We're not fellas so don't call us that. But if you are very confused and don't understand that's okay. And it's okay to have your own opinion but don't come to us with negativity."
