If a lesbian wants to play basketball at Penn State she has a tough decision to make -- deny her identity or give up the sport. Coach Rene Portland, with no objection from the University, says no player can do both.

And if a lesbian player depends on a scholarship to fund her education, the stakes go even higher -- deny her identity or give up a quality education. Remember, she can't do both.

Portland has an unwritten policy denying lesbians membership on her recently top-ranked team and revoking scholarships for players she discovers are lesbians.

If ever there was a clear-cut example of why the University needs a sexual orientation clause in its nondiscrimination policy, this is it.

Speaking on lesbianism in a 1986 Chicago Sun Times article, Portland said "I will not have it in my program." In a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article profiling the then No. 1 team's coach, several former players affirmed the policy's existence.

As the University's nondiscrimination statement stands, gay men, lesbians and bisexual students can legally be discriminated against not only on the basketball court, but also in classes, in housing and in jobs.

Portland assumes all women athletes face a "stigma" of being seen as lesbians. Her policy attempts to dispel that myth, but assumes that it is bad to be anything but heterosexual.

Portland excludes and discriminates against about 10 percent of the women athletes she claims she is trying to help.

Fighting for a positive image of women in sports should encompass all the women active in sports and that includes lesbians.

Policies like Portland's force gay, lesbian and bisexual students to hide their sexual identity -- a restriction never imposed on others.

It would be naive to believe that the policy ensures no lesbians join Portland's team. It is discriminatory to limit future members by their sexual orientation. But until the University amends its nondiscrimination policy, such intolerance will go on without repercussions.

Now that the Faculty Senate has recommended the inclusion of the words "sexual orientation" in the nondiscrimination policy, the next move is up to President Thomas.

In order to ensure equal rights for all members of the University, the only acceptable action is for Thomas to encourage the University Board of Trustees to follow in the footsteps of the Faculty Senate.

Without this protection policies like Portland's will continue to oppress the rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual students, faculty and staff members.