A Tennessee law's prohibition on transgender boys and girls receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy and puberty blockers appeared to divide the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday regarding whether the statute bespeaks sex discrimination requiring heightened constitutional scrutiny or a rational legislative policy decision to protect youngsters.

In saying the statute discriminates based on sex, the high court's liberal justices said the law allows nontransgender children from being prescribed hormones that correspond to their gender assigned at birth.