Prince George's residents mixed on future of same-sex marriage

"I think this is one issue where the majority should not impose their beliefs on others," Shilling said.

Juan McCoy, who lives with his partner, Chris Williams, and their five children in Camp Springs, said it is frustrating to listen to politicians whose rights are not being affected like his are. His senator, C. Anthony Muse (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington, voted against the bill in the state senate.

McCoy said Saturday he felt that Alston was planning for the next election rather than do the job she was elected to do and was not a fan of her suggested amendment to the bill to make it a civil union that was rejected.

"It's really disappointing that an African-American would go the separate-but-equal route," McCoy said. "It's a throwback, and that's what's disappointing to me about many of the delegates in the House that continue to accept this type of discrimination. To put obstacles in the way of other groups to me is just baffling. While I think civil unions would have been a good start many years ago, I don't think that would've been a good option today."