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This behavior is covered by the standard. The following C translation unit is valid according to C99:
 struct PyTypeObject;
 extern struct PyTypeObject Foo_Type;
 struct PyTypeObject *ptr = &Foo_Type;
Specifically, &Foo_Type is an "address constant" per the standard because it is a pointer to an object of static storage duration (6.6p9).
The Python docs contradict this with the following incorrect statement:
> However, the unary ‘&’ operator applied to a non-static variable like PyBaseObject_Type() is not required to produce an address constant.
This statement is incorrect:
1. PyBaseObject_Type is an object of static storage duration. (Note, this is true even though it does not use the "static" keyword -- the "static" storage-class specifier and "static storage duration" are separate concepts).
2. It follows that &PyBaseObject_Type is required to produce an address constant. because it is a pointer to an object of static storage duration.
MSVC rejects this standard-conforming TU when __declspec(dllimport) is added: https://godbolt.org/z/GYrfTqaGn I am pretty sure this is out of compliance with C99.