Thumbs up to the University Faculty Senate for voting to support inclusion of the words "sexual orientation" in the University's nondiscrimination policy and to members of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance and its allies for protesting against Coach Rene Portland's alleged policy of barring lesbians from her basketball team.

Without a specific clause banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, gays, lesbians and bisexuals have no guaranteed recourse when their rights are violated.

Consequently, formal action against heterosexist policies is slow, unpredictable and comes about only after much public outcry.

Consider the following example as a case for the inclusion of a sexual orientation clause:

During the winter of 1989, a lesbian inmate at the Blair County Prison in Hollidaysburg requested permission from the warden for a visit from her girlfriend. She was denied the request.

The warden's rationale was that he didn't want to "condone homosexuality." When the Altoona Mirror picked up on the story, the warden and two of the three county commissioners claimed that present prison policy denies such visits.

In fact, the actual language of the visitation policy is ambiguous and open to interpretation. The policy read: "If (the) inmate is not legally married, common law spouses or boy/girlfriend will be permitted to visit."

Thus, the policy allows inmates to visit their boyfriends and girlfriends, but does not specify that male inmates are only allowed to visit their girlfriends and that female inmates are only allowed to visit their boyfriends. It just says inmates.

Ironically, the warden couldn't see the underlying heterosexist assumption implicit in his interpretation of the policy.

Politically underrepresented groups like people of color, homosexuals, bisexuals, Jews and women, have found that linguistic ambiguity means invisibility and invisibility means death to one's way of life.

Therefore, if this University is serious about protecting the rights of homosexuals and bisexuals, the University Board of Trustees and President Thomas must support the addition of a sexual orientation clause to its nondiscrimination policy.

Meanwhile, protests will continue. And hopefully, justice will prevail as was the case with the lesbian inmate who, after public support and a demonstration, was allowed to visit her lover.