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.

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
A Hit-and-Run Driver Killed My Dog. The Penalty? Maybe a $100 Fine.
Chicky was beloved by her whole neighborhood. When she was killed by a speeding Jeep, we confronted a cold reality: Her death was considered a property crime.
By Ginia Bellafante
A Storied Harlem Church Has a New Leader. Its Members Have Questions.
Behind the opaque process that just selected the next pastor at Abyssinian Baptist Church.
By Ginia Bellafante
For the Price of a Police Helicopter, New York Could Save the Arts
The city’s budget is being finalized, and arts institutions, from the big to the small, are fearing the worst.
By Ginia Bellafante
The Brooklyn Museum Is Progressive. Why Is the Left Attacking It?
One of the city’s most consistently progressive institutions — which had long enraged conservatives — has become the object of scorn by pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
By Ginia Bellafante
Alvin Bragg’s Next Decision on Trump Presents a Political Quandary
The Manhattan district attorney must present a sentencing recommendation to the judge. He could face backlash whether he opts for leniency or for a harsh sentence.
By Ginia Bellafante
Victims of Random Street Attacks Face an Outdated Police System
Standard practices are not helping the victims — and they also prevent the attackers from getting help they need.
By Ginia Bellafante