Men tend to brag, often indiscreetly, about their cheating exploits; women usually don't, some not even to their closest friends. Why?

not so sure, but I think it's an evolutionary thing; men think that having sex with as many women as possible, in doing so, spreading their seed as widespread as they could, means they get a higher chance of more offspring, thus insuring more survival to their genes.

I don't know why women don't brag more though, I think patriarchal cutlure (calling a woman who sleeps with many men a "sl*t* and a wh*re) has something to do with it, but I don't think it's the original reason. maybe they just don't appreciate d**k as much as men appreciate p**sy, in which case, I agree with them. 

If we make that terrible mistake there is NOTHING to brag about.  

men probably like to brag more

Men see a need to bolster their standing among other men with tales of conquest. Is it a testosterone thing, a macho thing, or the way men are wired? Some of all the above. Women, it would seem, need to keep things on the sly for reasons of behind the scenes manipulation and maintaining a balance among future possibilities. 

First of all nothing to "brag" about.  Secondly we learn very soon what we can safely talk about in particular company. In the old hippie days yes we would say we had sex with whomever because it was expected that is what we would do.  Among certain friends always talking about being "cheated" on or that "all men cheat" etc. I learned to keep my mouth shut about it.  Same with men who expected sexual fidelity from me.  On another chat site I was unfriended by a young woman because for specifically admitting I had "cheated" even though she had known from our previous discussions that I had.

I generally disagree with your premise. While some men I have known were less than discreet, I have NEVER known even one who boasted of his cheating. With no experience of such bragging, I can only speculate that the men who do boast of cheating either (a) want the information to get back to their wife/girlfriend to serve as the basis for breaking up the relationship, or (b) they are a narcissist and believe that anything they do should be considered a positive trait or act.

Most male sexual boasting of any kind, not necessarily about cheating but more often about "conquests," seems to take place among the least mature, most insecure men and usually ends by the time they are about 25.

I honestly cannot imagine myself being friends with any man who boasts of cheating or sexual conquests. Such a personality is not consistent with my values and beliefs; such a person is not someone I am likely to like.

However, to clarify, I think it is becoming increasingly acceptable for all people to "discuss" sex and sexuality, especially in forums sch as this,ong as it is not done boastfully.