Saraswathi Bellur, Ph.D., Department of Communication, Major AdvisorAnne Oeldorf-Hirsch, Ph.D., Department of Communication, Associate AdvisorJocelyn Steinke, Ph.D., Department of Communication, Associate Advisor   Abstract   With over 5.22 billion social media users and an average of 2 hours and 23 minutes per day spent between social media platforms, social media use has become an integral part of many people's lives. The LGBTQ+ community has been found more likely to use social media compared to the general population via information-seeking, following and interacting with LGBTQ+ media personae, and connecting with other LGBTQ+ individuals for social support and community connection. Social media usage and well-being has been extensively studied, but results have been mixed, suggesting content and motives behind usage are just as, if not more, important for studying than simple frequency of use. To better understand the relationship between social media usage and well-being within the LGBTQ+ community, this proposed study, through uses and gratifications theory and the parasocial contact hypothesis, examines the roles of social media gratifications and parasocial relationships on reducing feelings of stigma and increasing feelings of community connectedness, self-acceptance, and well-being. Implications include more critically examining social media usage and well-being, extending the parasocial contact hypothesis in new contexts, and identifying healthy social media usage for LGBTQ+ individuals.