Sexual and gender identities, and the developmental trajectories of queer people have changed over time, and they continue to change because they are shaped by the socio-historical context. There is also evidence that people’s sexual and gender identities may fluctuate throughout the lifespan. This presentation will examine how both the historical time in which research participants live and the biographical time in their lives, are especially important considerations in the conduct and understanding of social science research on queer populations.