That's what all women in Hollywood have to go through to sell movies, and it was less progressive than it was today.
In-universe Beast falls in love with her, she hates that form because she can't hide that she's a mutant and absolutely no-one implies or says that she's an ugly monster in that form. Which she isn't. In DOFP she makes a joke about the Vietnamese general not finding her sexy, but we don't get his opinion - he's in shock since this is an out of context situation from his perspective, then she attacks him.Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder in movies unless you are Jennifer Lawrence painted Blue playing Mystique and even that character admitted she was not attractive to men. Have we ever seen a 200 pound woman playing an action role or acting as the love interest? 95% of every action girl I see in a female action or male action film is physically very attractive and feminine looking.
Out of universe, both Mystique's are sex symbols.