Chase, removal of categories is just the same as removal of stickers, the PM and any other contributor, members of the trusted list or members of projects that the profile is in can remove either. For some reason I do not understand there has been a militant removal movement lately intent on getting rid of stickers and/or categories that don't fit within a small group's ideals.
Melanie, the template, then converted to a project box, then converted to the current sticker was discussed and approved by the original One Name Studies and Template project's leaders when I started my Name Study. I was an early member of the ONS project. The sticker in question is the result of attempting to stay within the ever-changing goalposts about ONS stickers in particular.
My ONS is multi-faceted. I do not focus on just a few important individuals, which just BTW is NOT how a ONS is defined by the Guild of One Name Studies which I am a member of, my study is a true ONS in that it researches everyone with the surname, with a sub-project that collects a list of all the surnames that marry into my surname family. My ONS is complex, I set up a number of categories in order to, hopefully, create some order out of the madness. I think it works pretty well.
I am not so firmly rooted into having the sticker on profiles if other members object, I could just add the category if that didn't offend. I'd love the opportunity to collaborate and come to a positive compromise, but instead of reaching out to me first the issue was brought here. That puzzles me more than why some people are objecting to the sticker.