HAMILTON, Bermuda — Lawmakers in Bermuda have approved a bill that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The bill was approved Friday in the House of Assembly after nine hours of debate.

Meanwhile, a motion to add a clause to the Human Rights Act to ensure same-sex marriage remained banned was defeated by a vote of 18 to 12.

MP Wayne Furbert had proposed the amendment so that ithe anti-discrimination measure would not take precedence over the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1974, which outlawed same-sex marriage.

“The majority of Bermudians do not want (people) to be discriminated against based on sexual orientation as far as working and living accommodations but there is no doubt that the majority of Bermudians do not support same sex marriages,” said Furbert.

Lawmakers also prohibited age discrimination in all sectors except at work, a move that many observers criticized.

The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico recently approved similar legislation banning employment discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation.