guides
What Does 'TMFINR' Mean? How The 'That Person Is Not Real' Plane Woman Inspired A Viral Meme
Those supposed reptilian aliens who occupy the bodies of humans might have various abilities that we don't, but they still need to get around, and airplanes are still the fastest mode of transport on the planet Earth. Once you know what to look for, you'll see these "not real" people more often, and now there's a term for when that happens: TMFINR (That MFer Is Not Real). Of course, there is no proof that these sorts of beings exist.
Where Does 'TMFINR' Come From?
The phrase is a quote from a TikTok video. The video shows a very upset woman on an airplane declaring "that MFer is not real" while pointing at something at the rear of the aircraft. The woman on the plane, who some speculated may have been experiencing a mental health episode, tries to warn her fellow passengers about the "not real" being on board with them and the danger of sitting on a plane with it. She tells them all that she is leaving the aircraft because she is afraid, and they can choose to believe her or not.
The idea at the core of her argument — that reptilians or other shapeshifters are trying to imitate humans — was fodder for many jokes about conspiracy theories. Others joked about who the "not real" person might be.
How Did 'TMFINR' Spread?
After the video got famous, the catchphrase itself started to be used outside of anything having to do with airplanes. Posters, particularly on Twitter, pushed the 'TMFINR' as a way to describe anyone that may be "not real." The catchphrase also found its way into fan art about the woman and the incident, including a manga redraw of her.
Is That MF Real?
While it's unclear what happened to the woman, the American Airlines flight she was on took off and landed as scheduled. It is also unknown who exactly she was talking about, but many online joked about the possible identity of the "not real" person.
The question of whether someone is real, however, is a deeper question that goes beyond the memes. When looking at oneself deep and long in the mirror, and really considering one's life and your identity, isn't it all just something made up by society? Are any of these MFs real?
Who Is The TMFINR Woman? Is She Real?
Sleuths on the web claimed shortly after the video went viral that the woman is from Texas and named Tiffany Gomas. Shortly after, an account on X claiming to post as Gomas and confirming the shapeshifter allegations began to accumulate a following. This account then reported on the user who had created the manga-style redraw of the TMFINR woman, leading to their suspension. The Tiffany Gomas account was then suspended itself for being apparently being an unverified parody and impersonation account.
Journalists confirmed the name through a Freedom of Information Act request from the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, and later on outlets such as the New York Post shared more information about Gomas.
Why Do People Post 'TMFINR'?
Conspiracy theory and schizoposting content are always good fuel for viral memes. But at a time when parts of the government have allegedly admitted the existence of unidentified aerial phenomena, deepfake videos make it hard to know what truth looks like, and artificial intelligence imitates us well enough to pass the bar exam, figuring out what's "real" can be hard.
For the full history of "TMFINR" be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for even more information.