RAJA THIRU/Arizona Daily Wildcat Theater arts freshman Lisa Gernak acts as a homeless person in the Tunnel of Oppression, held in the Student Union Memorial Center grand ballroom last night. The multimedia tour is designed to challenge students to think about stereotypes, oppression and hatred.

The student flipped through the television stations with a look of disgust on her face passing shows like "Will and Grace" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy."

"What's up with all these gay shows lately? It's disgusting. They act like it's OK," she said.

This was just one of the scenes in the sixth annual Tunnel of Oppression, a walking, multimedia tour designed to challenge students to think about stereotypes, oppression and hatred.

"It's an eye-opener for a lot of people," said Adrian Qadra, a finance and business economics junior. As students were led through the tunnel they encountered scenes about racism, relationship violence, homophobia and body image, all performed by volunteer student actors.

For many, the event hit close to home.

"I'm openly bisexual," said Christa Harader, a cultural anthropology junior. "People can hate you so much for the people you're attracted too, it's just amazing to me."

Signs that read, "AIDS cures fags" and "Fags die, God laughs" were posted throughout the tunnel. All were reproductions of signs used in a gay protest on the day of Matthew Shepard's funeral.

Shepard, a gay man, was beaten to death by two men in Wyoming in 1998.

Samantha Palecki, a pre-physiological sciences freshman, said the comments were extremely offensive.

"I have many friends who are homosexual," Palecki said. "They're my best friends and if I ever saw them hurt in such a way, it would destroy me."

Brian Shimamoto, assistant director of multicultural education and advocacy, said most students who go through the tunnel connect with some portion of it on a personal level. Palecki said the most effective portion of the tunnel was the Holocaust scene, in which students were herded into a dark room as a man shouted from the shadows, "Get in there now! Move it!"

The room went black. Then a pounding sound started, followed by a low hiss and a shrill scream. When the lights came on, a sign read, "You have just been executed for your religious beliefs."

"It was a very scary feeling," Palecki said.

Amber Padilla, a business sophomore who was a victim of sexual assault, said statistics posted throughout the tunnel about rape and assault victims brought back her pain.

She said she thinks the tunnel would be an eye-opening experience for everyone.

"I thought it was a great resource on campus for everyone to become educated," she said.

Qadra said he thinks the tunnel is an effective way of raising awareness of issues that people sometimes don't think about.

"A lot of people aren't aware until it really hits you in the face, and I think the tunnel really does that," he said.

Architecture sophomore Wendoly Abrego has visited the tunnel for the past two years, and said each time she goes, she is shocked by what she sees. She was in tears by the end of the tour.

"It's sad. It's depressing to see that people treat other people that way," she said

In years past, the Tunnel of Oppression has taken place in Kaibab-Huachuca Residence Hall. This year's tunnel is staged in the grand ballroom in the Student Union Memorial Center.

The location changed because construction at the Park Student Union blocked an alleyway behind Kaibab-Huachuca, which was used for the tunnel in the past, Shimamoto said. This is also the first time the Tunnel of Oppression was directed by students.

"I've done it the last couple years," said Shimamoto, who acted as an advisor for the event. "This year I was approached by students who said, 'I want to do it.'"

Paul Clarke, an undeclared senior and co-director of the event, said, "A lot of people aren't aware of issues or don't care unless they see it in an environment like this. I hope everyone goes away learning something."

The Tunnel of Oppression, sponsored by Residence Life's el Mundo Diversity Initiatives, the Residence Hall Association and the University Activity Board's Eye on Diversity, will run tonight and tomorrow night from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

While reservations are not required, students who want to avoid a wait can call the reservation line at 626-1814.