Spectrum members lobbied Tuesday at the Indiana State Capitol to ask that five words be added to law.
The students want to see the words "sexual orientation and gender identity" added to Indiana Code's nondiscrimination clause.
Senior Nickolaus Bilz said they were there to defend basic human rights.
"We wanted to stress that it's not a conservative or liberal issue," he said. "It's a basic common sense issue."
The Indiana Senate will decide whether it wants to add the clause -- Indiana Senate bill 458 -- in January 2005, Bilz said.
The additional words would protect Indiana gay and transgender people from discrimination in employment, education and housing, he said.
However, sophomore Jack Shepler said he realizes that some people think the additional words aren't important.
"Some are asking, 'what's next?'" he said. "I mean, why not include a clause about short people and people with blue eyes? The thing is people aren't being fired for having blue eyes or being short. People are being fired for being gay and transgender."
Without the amendment, Bilz said he worries that Indiana will drive gays and transgenders out of the state.
"When you realize that your job isn't protected," he said, "why would you want to stay here? I'll go somewhere where I know that I'm accepted."
Religious organizations from across the state joined the students at the capitol.
Shepler said that although most advocates against gays and transgenders use religion to support their cause, the majority of people lobbying were from religious groups.
"We have freedom of religion," Bilz said, "we should also have freedom from religion too. This issue is about basic human rights, not religion."
Many gay and transgender people feel like they have to hide their sexuality from their co-workers, he said.
To demonstrate their feelings, the lobbyists wore brown paper bags, with their occupations written on them, on their heads outside the capitol building, he said.
Neither Bilz nor Shepler have felt the need to hide who they are from their co-workers.
"If they ask, I'll tell them," Shepler said. "But I don't go around telling everyone my sexual preferences. Our generation is more excepting of gays and transgenders. It's better than what it used to be when our parents were our age. This bill is a sign that our values do change over time."
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