Big City

A weekly column devoted to life, culture, politics and policy in New York City. More

Ginia Bellafante has served as a reporter, critic and, since 2011, as the paper's Big City columnist. She began her career at the Times as a fashion critic, examining the way that clothes and the art of making them reflected broader societal trends.

For several years, before she joined the Metropolitan section, she was a television critic. Her work has appeared throughout the paper, including on A1 where, a decade ago, she wrote about how gay parents divide domestic labor; she has also written for the culture and styles pages as well as the magazine and the book review. Prior to joining The Times, Ms. Bellafante was a senior writer at Time magazine.

She is a native of Long Island and currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband, a professor at Brown University, and her son.

Why Eric Adams Is Nothing Like David Dinkins
Facing a raft of corruption charges, New York’s second Black mayor is flattering himself by invoking the fate of its first.
By Ginia Bellafante
What Eric Adams and Donald Trump Have in Common
The mayor and the former president may have some different political beliefs, but their personality and style — and now perhaps their legal paths — are aligned.
By Ginia Bellafante
The Migrant Crisis Did Not ‘Destroy’ New York. But Challenges Remain.
It’s been a year since Mayor Eric Adams made his ominous prediction. City officials should treat the arrival of migrants as an opportunity rather than a catastrophe, advocates say.
By Ginia Bellafante
The Mayor of New York Is Surrounded by Scandal. Will Voters Really Care?
Corruption has been a mark of municipal politics for hundreds of years. Tolerance for it has been high.
By Ginia Bellafante
40 Years Later, Does ‘Bright Lights, Big City’ Still Resonate?
Remembered for capturing ’80s downtown decadence, Jay McInerney’s iconic novel predicted the mood of New York City today.
By Ginia Bellafante
A Bookshop Cancels an Event Over a Rabbi’s Zionism, Prompting Outrage
Shortly before a talk between a Jewish author and a liberal rabbi, a manager at Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn barred the rabbi from participating, saying, “We don’t want a Zionist onstage.”
By Ginia Bellafante
When Breaking the Dress Code Depends on Skin Color, and If You’re Skinny
A new City Council law seeks to pressure schools to undo bias in enforcing a dress code across the nation’s largest school system.
By Ginia Bellafante
Hotels in New York City Don’t Need Licenses. Should They?
New York’s hundreds of hotels are subject to less regulatory scrutiny than many other businesses. The industry is resisting City Council efforts to change that.
By Ginia Bellafante
JD Vance and the Age-Old Trope of ‘Childless Cat Ladies’
In a relentlessly newsy phase of the presidential contest, the long history of bias against cosmopolitan cat-owning women finds its place.
By Ginia Bellafante
Can New York City Ever Win Its War Against Rats?
Checking in with New York’s rat czar and the progress she has made in reducing the city’s rodent population.
By Ginia Bellafante