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GREENSBORO — After more than an hour of passionate testimony from faith leaders, lesbian moms, students and other advocates, City Council members voted to oppose a proposed state marriage amendment.

Council members said the issue is about equality.

“Allowing Amendment One to go unchallenged is equal to us sitting by while a segment of our population is marginalized by our legislature,” Councilwoman Nancy Vaughan said.

Councilwoman Trudy Wade was the lone vote against the resolution.

Councilwoman T. Dianne Bellamy-Small’s vote was technically registered as a yes, although she refused to vote on the issue. Bellamy-Small, like Wade, said it should be up to voters to decide whether to support the amendment.

The amendment would change the state constitution to ensure that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic union the state can recognize. State law already prohibits same-sex unions. Legal experts have said the amendment would go further than that, including preventing cities like Greensboro from offering benefits to homosexual partners of employees.

Wade asked council members to delay considering the discussion for two weeks to give the city time to hold a public hearing. They turned her down.

The council still heard from 20 speakers on the issue.

Opponents argued that the amendment would enshrine discrimination in the constitution.

“To me, to say you are for Amendment One is to say I am not equal to the other citizens in Greensboro,” said Amber Alexander, who attended the meeting with her partner, Regina, and their 2-year old daughter, Emery.

Proponents of the amendment disagreed.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with discrimination or not wanting her to stay here in the city. It’s to uphold the integrity and foundation of our society: marriage between one man and one woman,” resident Joanne Wittenborn said.

The majority of the speakers were against the state amendment.

“Gay people, for the past 100 years, have been trying to be accepted by the wider culture,” said the Rev. Randall Kenney of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. “They have worked. They have contributed to our society and many times they have been pushed in the dark. They refuse to sit there anymore.”

Some council members agreed with opponents, who said the amendment could have broad repercussions.

Councilwoman Yvonne Johnson said it goes beyond the definition of marriage and could interfere with child custody issues, end-of-life decisions and domestic violence prosecution.

Other council members framed the issue as one about discrimination.

“I can take a stand in support of our resolution and against this amendment because my life has been blessed by touching a lot of other folks that just happened to be different from me,” Mayor Robbie Perkins said.

“The richness and strength of our diversity makes us a much better community and a much better state.”

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com